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Lunch Break Video: A wonderful interview with the late, great Dixie Carter of “Designing Women”
Came across this gem of an interview with the late, great Dixie Carter that I want to share with you.
I love it because it’s a wonderful conversation on InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse. It’s unhurried and not about soundbites.
Dixie sat down with Ernie in 2008, two years before her death, discusses what it means to be a Southerner, her memories of meeting her husband Hal Holbrook, and the impact that the series Designing Women had on her life and her career.
FILE UNDER: Lunch Break Videos (2014)
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
Arjay says:
Thank you so much for posting this Greg! Ms. Carter was such a gracious and lovely performer. And she was also Mrs. Hal Holbrook! I am aware of her being a Republican and believing in many fiscal and social conservative causes. There are actually more than a few Hollywood Republicans.
Ms. Carter made references how her character had to make these very liberal and progressive statements and speeches, while she held different beliefs. However, I remember some of that Designing Women dialogue to be very sympathetic, humane and accepting of LGBT people.
Dixie’s “Julia” explaining to “Suzanne” that her fellow pageant contestant was a lesbian; or that “Charlene’s” brother was a nice young man though at first folks thought that he was gay; and of course the episode “Killing All The Right People” where “Julia” stands up for a gay man dying of AIDS.
Now, there are Hollywood conservatives/Republicans who have been LGBT friendly and/or supported AIDS charities, etcetera (example Joan Rivers and Jennifer O’Neill). Mr. Hernandez or other GIH readers… I am steadfast in support of Dixie the talented and beautiful performer.
But does anyone know what she thought of LGBT people and those living with AIDS in her “real life.” She would not be the first performer or public figure or author I admired professionally… who I would be disappointed in with being anti-LGBT.
Does anyone know what Miss Carter’s (aka Mrs. Holbrook’s) views on our community were?
Steve says:
Her husband played the role of a gay man cast in a sympathetic light in That Certain Summer back in 1972, and then he play in Rituals in 1977, where he was friends with an openly gay character. I would say that both movies where way ahead of their time in that regard. If he had a problem with gay people, I highly doubt he would have taken either role and be associated with it. I think he is politically conservative as well. So, I imagine it’s likely Dixie Carter, being his wife, is open minded to it too.